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‘Really?’ He sits back, studying me. ‘But why? This restaurant sounds glorious and Lois is absolutely insisting on paying. I’d say it was a no-brainer.’
I laugh. ‘Well, if you put it like that, okay, we’ll definitely go.’
‘Plus, I get to spend a romantic evening in the company of my funny, intelligent, super-gorgeous girlfriend.’
‘Aw, shucks.’
‘Actually, that’s rubbish.’ There’s a twinkle in his eye. ‘The fact is, I’ve hired a suit for the occasion and I want to get my money’s worth.’
‘Hey, you.’ I pretend to be offended.
Grinning, Shaun stands up and holds out his hand. ‘May I have this dance, Miss Bowes?’
‘Oh. Okay.’ I love the way Shaun keeps surprising me.
He sweeps me up and we attempt a salsa around the kitchen, until we bump into the fridge-freezer and end up laughing in each other’s arms.
CHAPTER FIVE
It’s the night of the Fearsome Friday Foursome and Rory has offered to be our driver.
I’ve already made a (failed) last-ditch attempt at backing out of it. I told Lois I was worried about leaving Irene on her own (which is true) and maybe I should stay with her, just in case. (I’d told Lois about finding her mum in floods of tears looking at old photos and Harry Potter, of all things, which she found as puzzling as I did.)
So Lois said maybe my gran could babysit Bertie at our house instead of over at hers. That way, Irene wouldn’t be on her own. ‘Mum will be in her room, as usual, so it’s not as if she and your gran will have a chance to clash and kill each other,’ she pointed out, and I nodded my agreement. Gran and Irene weren’t exactly bosom buddies. Gran had never thought Dad’s new wife was good enough for her son and I think she still harbours suspicions that Irene’s a gold-digger...
The result is that Gran is downstairs now with Shaun and Bertie, discovering more fascinating facts about dinosaurs. So that’s the Irene problem solved. But mine, not so much. Tonight is something I will just have to endure.
I’m in my room, examining my dress and shoes in the mirror and feeling such a mix of emotions. Every time I think about seeing Rory tonight, my insides go tumbling around. He has no idea of the surprise Lois is about to spring on him, and part of me thinks maybe I should have warned him. Will he be surprised but thrilled when she asks him to marry her? Or will he just be surprised and plain shocked, because it’s so early in their relationship?
The thought of Rory saying yes is almost unbearable. But the thought of Lois being turned down– however gently– after all she went through with Ronnie? I can’t bear to think about that, either...
Lois bursts in at that moment, looking gorgeous in a silky blue dress and skyscraper heels, her blonde hair elegantly swept up in a golden clasp.
I present to her a smile I prepared earlier. ‘Ready?’
‘In a minute. You have to listen to this first.’
‘Listen to what?’ I ask, noticing the sheet of paper in her hand.
She shrugs. ‘You refused to help me write a poem for Rory. So... I’ve written one myself.’
‘I didn’trefuseexactly.’ Actually, I did. I laughed as well when Lois suggested the idea, but that was pure panic. ‘I just meant... maybe the words should come from you and you alone. From the heart. It is a proposal, after all.’
‘Well, anyway, it doesn’t matter now.’ She looks at me doubtfully. ‘Tell me what you think aboutthis.’
Straightening up, the sheet of paper in front of her, she clears her throat and starts reading. Then she stops and peers at me suspiciously. ‘You’d better not laugh.’
‘OfcourseI won’t laugh,’ I promise. Laughing.
‘Okay. Well, here goes. As you know, I was never very good at English at school.’
‘As long as it’s from the heart, that’s all that matters, Lois,’ I tell her soothingly.
She flashes a nervous smile and clears her throat.
The attraction sizzled, we rolled on the grass
Our lips were in a lock
